We had one around here for a while that was so tame, it would sit by the back steps with the cats, waiting for me to fill up the food bowl. I did not encourage him.
A friend of mine, who lives way out in the boonies, raised a female from a baby. When got old enough, she turned it loose, but it still came back once in a while, looking for food, and one day it bit the **** out of her ankle.
I could go on...another friend of mine, who lives in town, got a raccoon in her attic one time. But that's a whole story in itself.

Kitchen, skunks do bite and they are big time carriers of rabies. If you come across one, stay behind him, because they throw their scent forward. Best to just stay away from him, period.

If your dog gets sprayed (as my big furry Maggie Dog did once), wash him off with white vinegar or tomato juice BEFORE YOU GET HIM WET! Let me tell you, when that water hits the him, that scent will make your eyes water!

I called our animal control (they burned out last fall, if you remember) and they have no live traps at this time, so I guess I'll have to do some checking around to find one.

Just a reminder to anyone who lives near raccoons--Make sure your pets have had their rabies shots, and make sure your kids know not to try to pet them (the raccoons that is, not your pets! lol). I have read that raccoons spread more rabies than any other animal.

They are cute little guys though!

Barbara

Around here bats are still #1, raccoons second.
I'm pretty sure a raccoon I shot 3 years ago was rabid. I should have had him checked. My state wants critters for testing because it's on the rise in PA. I didn't know that at the time though.

Wellllllll, if I was lost in the woods without food..... and I saw a raccoon eating a piece of something (remembering that raccoons are nocturnal and would be hard to see anyway) I don't think I'd be thinking of eating what the raccoon was eating.
If you know what I mean

Raccoons will eat just about anything, and they're very smart with those little hands. In some areas, they can even undo bungee cords to get into coolers.
They really make a mess when they get into your garbage.

We had one around here for a while that was so tame, it would sit by the back steps with the cats, waiting for me to fill up the food bowl. I did not encourage him.
A friend of mine, who lives way out in the boonies, raised a female from a baby. When got old enough, she turned it loose, but it still came back once in a while, looking for food, and one day it bit the **** out of her ankle.
I could go on...another friend of mine, who lives in town, got a raccoon in her attic one time. But that's a whole story in itself.

Kitchen, skunks do bite and they are big time carriers of rabies. If you come across one, stay behind him, because they throw their scent forward. Best to just stay away from him, period.

If your dog gets sprayed (as my big furry Maggie Dog did once), wash him off with white vinegar or tomato juice BEFORE YOU GET HIM WET! Let me tell you, when that water hits the him, that scent will make your eyes water!

I called our animal control (they burned out last fall, if you remember) and they have no live traps at this time, so I guess I'll have to do some checking around to find one.

Constance:
I do remember about your animal control. You hear anything about what is going to be done. Such sad story.

When I was looking for puppies on Internet rescues. One woman called and said if I was interested could come and pick the pup up. Lived in Oklahoma. Well, we had floods all over and were not lucky to go when we should have. This lady she told me she had 26 puppies and 19 cats in her home. I thought she was keeping them but they had no humane society so rather than destroy them, didn't ask how, she said she kept them in her house. She then tells me she was married 59 years and was 86 and her hubby 88. This information will never leave me as it sure made me ashamed of myself. I complain cause I have three that need attention. I just wonder how she does it? Oh, she told me they have to get along, both the cats and the dogs. They are trying to get humane society. I am sure going to send donation just for the job she does personally. Some people never cease to amaze me. I need to hear more stories like this. It restores my faith in humanity.

Constance, I'm sorry to hear raccoons have decided to hang out at your house. They are very cute but bad house guests. It's been my experience that there is rarely just one - usually all their relatives show up in short order. I have an ongoing battle with the coons that have been living at my house for about 20 years now - and I live in downtown San Antonio.

Currently there are only 2 that are living on my property that I can tell but I'm trying to catch them. The live traps are the only thing I've found to work. Catch them and then release them a minimum of 10 miles from your home. Apparently they have a "homing radius" of 10 miles.

The other suggested deterrents never work for long. But I have had luck with pure peppermint oil sprayed in the attic or enclosed areas where you don't want them. They really hate that smell and it drives them from there for a while. That's the best time to trap them. Don't bother with the dehydrated coyote urine - that stuff is worse than living with raccoons and apparently they don't mind it nearly as much as I do. Loud music and bright lights didn't work for me either. (I must have a line of party coons.)

It might be worth buying a trap, as I did. They are about $40 on ebay and most feed stores carry them. Because you may have a few more show up before it's all said and done. Peanut butter is a very good bait. Also, dry cat food mixed with the peanut butter seems to be a raccoon favorite. Good luck with this.